“Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato began her career with a string of critically acclaimed débuts, including at La Scala and Covent Garden, as well as triumphs on concert and recital stages. She rose from virtual anonymity in 1999 to international stardom by 2002, becoming one of the most sought-after coloratura mezzo-sopranos of the early 21st century. As a coloratura mezzo, some of her greatest successes have come in Baroque repertoire, particularly the operas of Handel, such as Alcina, Ariodante, Dejanira (Hercules), Elmira (Floridante), and Sesto (Giulio Cesare), and in Italian bel canto operas. Her performances are notable for the gleaming purity of her voice, her formidable technique, and her dramatically incisive characterizations. She is capable of projecting great power, as in Handel's Alcina, but is also excels in roles of lightness and humor, such as the heroines in Rossini's comedies. She has also sung many Mozart roles, including Cherubino (The Marriage of Figaro) and Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), and while she has steered clear of Verdi and Puccini, her repertory includes Berlioz, Bellini, and contemporary composers like Michael Daugherty (Grace Kelly in Jackie O) and Jake Heggie (Sister Helen in Dead Man Walking). Her recital repertory takes in a range of works, from Handel duets to Spanish songs to Fauré's Mélodies to Bernstein's and other American songs.”